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Rothbardia
The Anarcho-Capitalist Project, often humorously referred to as Rothbardia, is a self-proclaimed, unrecognized, community located in the U.S. state of . It was created after a crowdfunding campaign was started by libertarian and anarcho-capitalist organizers associated with the to raise money to purchase large amounts of land for the purpose of creating "a voluntary, peaceful, community which is free from coercion and where property rights and self-ownership are respected". On 2018, the ACP declared independence from the which remains unrecognized by the US or any sovereign state. As of 2019, the ACP has raised around $700,000 and has purchased around 300 acres of land. The group has said it has also looked into starting a project, possibly near the . Based on the ideas formulated by economists such as , , and as well as economists such as , the ACP seeks to create a voluntary community based on property rights and free association. While officially described as anarcho-capitalist, some of its members prefer anarcho-voluntaryist, that is, non-capitalist persons would be allowed so long as participation of their ideas are voluntary. The community uses decentralized currencies including such as . Property rights are enforced by private security firms and disputes are resolved by private arbitration firms. The community uses uses a system based on compensation rather than punishment. The project is decentralized in nature and has no definitive leaders although Ted Larson has become the project's de facto spokesman. Other anarcho-capitalist figures such as have been very involved in influential and the project's development. In January 2019, the project reported it had "Around 1,200" members. It is open to anyone who "Respects the voluntary interactions of the individual". The ACP has been in conflict with the U.S. federal government since it was created, primarily over taxes, weapons stockpiling, and narcotics, which the government says violates federal law. The , , , and have conducted extensive surveillance of the project and have threatened to detain anyone who steps outside the project's borders. Larson does not legally dispute the government's accusations but has stated "We simply refuse to obey their laws." President on one occasion referred to the group as "Borderline domestic terrorists." The project has also been denounced by left-wing or traditional anarchists due to its support of capitalism which they view as hierarchical and thus antithetical to anarchism. The has not spoken about the project. History Creation The Free State Project was created in 2001 with the goal of moving 20,000 libertarians to the state of New Hampshire in order to make it a stronghold for libertarian ideas. It completed the goal in 2016. An anarcho-capitalist faction of the FSP separated to create an anarchist community in New Hampshire. A crowdfunding campaign was started and promoted on the internet through libertarian and anarcho-capitalist forums. It was remarkably successful and raised over $20,000 in the first month alone. They began purchasing property in rural New Hampshire in late-2016, steadily growing as donations increased. The project started attracting members, starting with 70 in early 2017 and growing to around 1,000 by mid-2018. It was around this time the name "Rothbardia" (after Murray Rothbard) was applied humorously by its supporters on the internet and was popularized by media coverage. U.S. government disputes The US federal government began legally challenging the ACP soon after its creation, accusing the group of being a tax-avoidance scheme. The government also accused the ACP of stockpiling weapons and ammunition and growing marijuana, violating federal law. In response, Ted Larson said that some of its members have indeed refused to pay taxes since joining the group and the ACP was "Fully prepared" to defend itself from the government but reiterated that he wished to avoid such a confrontation. Larson also stated the group (or himself at least) was not going to attempt to find a legal basis for their position, instead basing it on their "status as self-owning individuals." The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Internal Revenue Service all have visited the area and the former three have conducted surveillance of its members and alleged supporters. The FBI also stated it would arrest anyone who left the premises, which Larson says has placed the ACP's members under "effective house arrest." Arrest warrants have also been issued for around 40-80 members, most of which are still living in the area. The government has attempted to halt the purchase of more land by the ACP. The situation has been compared to the , the , and the . Current status As of 2019, many small shelters have been built for the occupants of the ACP and a small economy has developed. More acquisitions of land have been slowed or halted by the legal dispute with the US government. The ACP has enjoyed a large amount of support from libertarian activists, including non-anarchists, and continues to receive around $5,000 per month from various online crowdfunding services. The United States Libertarian Party, however, has not released an official position on, nor spoken publicly about, the ACP. The federal government has opted to not directly confront members of the ACP, for fear of possibly escalating the situation and has instead allowed its members to exist peaceably for the time being, while at the same time, attempting to obstruct or halt their operations. Structure Leadership As an anarchist project, the ACP has no leadership or any governing body. Ted Larson has become the ACP's de facto spokesman, representing the group's general consensus when speaking to the news media, especially regarding the ACP's disputes with the US government. Demographics It is reported that 1,241 people have settled within the 300 acre area. Ethnicity The ACP is thought to be mostly white, with estimates ranging from 80% to 90% of the population. Religion Most members of the ACP identify as atheist or non-religious. 95% of religious members identify as Christian. Gender The group is around 70% male and 30% female. There exists a sizable transgender population within the project's area. Economy A small market anarchist economy has developed in the ACP's land. Its largest sectors are manufacturing and services. Around 30 to 50 businesses have sprung up offering products ranging from soaps to breads to jewelry. These products are sold both within the ACP's market and on the internet. While prostitution is allowed in the community, no such services are known to be available due to the increased surveillance from state and county police. Property Participants who have homesteaded parcels of the ACP's land are acknowledged as its owner. Respect for property rights is one of the group's foundations. Intellectual property is only respected by voluntary contracts and is otherwise unenforceable. Currency Several currencies have been created to facilitate a medium of exchange, the most popular of these being . Precious metals such as gold and silver are also used within the community. Law The ACP uses a polycentric law system in which law is provided or discovered by private arbitration firms or by disputing individuals themselves. This system is based on compensation rather than punishment. Dispute resolution Several arbitration firms have been established in the ACP. These firms accept cases from disputing parties, either for free or at a price, and then hear both parties arguments. Both parties usually agree to accept the firm's judgement while other firms mediate negotiations until an acceptable settlement is reached. Ostracism is often employed to ensure compliance with settlements as individuals are not forcibly expelled from the group. Security Like law, policing is provided by private firms. As of 2019, there are 10 private police firms in the ACP which provide security and protection not only for individual members, but for the whole community. Most of these firms are volunteer forces but some provide their services at a monthly rate. These firms do not have arrest powers and act only as a self-defense force. Fire protection is provided in a similar fashion. Criticism While the ACP has been praised by libertarian and some conservative activists, it has been condemned by liberals and other conservatives. Mary Cohen of the left-wing news company The Forward said the ACP represents "...the tantrums of the white, privileged, heterosexual, male who can not stand having any of his Hard Earned Money™ going to, God forbid, people who actually need it." Conservative columnist David Hewsworth said the ACP "Undermines the Constitution and the rule of law. It is not at all surprising our Democratic President Hilary Clinton would take a passive stance on literal anarchists who seek to shake our nation's very foundations."